Now there are just a few things left to do before heading west and leaving this kingdom as soon as possible.
First, I need to sort out my shadow and take all the necessary stuff. After what I'm about to do, I'm not sure how long it's going to take before I can get access to it again.
Probably It's worth taking all my hard-earned money, well not really that difficult, with what kind of targets I had before, I managed to save a good amount of gold in the process.
Sadly, there aren't many things left that I can actually take with me that won't attract too much attention.
There's no point in having a second body in my shadow, too. I just drop it here.
After that, I found myself holding a small orb that was radiating with light. It may be the only aether core in existence, humans and aetheric beasts don't leave cores behind after their death, so to gather aether one must be nearby at that moment.
I can't delay it any longer, it, probably, should give me a second affinity and save me from a lot of trouble.
I'm not quite sure how to do it right, though.
In theory, for one to form a core it only needed to absorb enough aether and will to do so.
I just need to wish for a second affinity?
I doubt that's how it works, after all--.
The core began to glow brighter and brighter with each passing second, until I could no longer keep my eyes open.
Then came the pain.
I had never felt anything like that before; it was as if something was trying to invade the very middle of my soul.
A second later, I fell to the ground.
Another second and it felt like there were a thousand needles in my core that had previously been dipped in lava and were now trying to burst out.
The pain was all-consuming. It didn't take long before I lost the ability to think.
After that I fell unconscious.
**
This may be the worst morning I've ever had.
At least in the top five.
Morning?
I was clearly unconscious for a few more hours than I would have liked.
What's worse, by the feeling of the ground beneath my head it seems I was left without a cloak, or not simply without a hood.
And no matter how hard I try, I can't get through the shadows.
I had already anticipated in advance that something like this might happen, but the confirmation is still unpleasant.
I ended up where I was six years ago, although that's not really true. Now according to the idea I have a light affinity, I'll be able to check it out when I don't feel so weak.
And the absence of the full might of the empire coming after me.
After all, I can't be tracked by something I no longer have, and I definitely feel that my aether has changed.
It worked out even better with the explosion, now it will be several times harder to confirm anything.
That should at least be enough until I recover.
Now, crossing a forest and then half a country with a border would be a challenge, but I've been through worse and I'd rather be in a place I wasn't even remotely in before. Stopping at a place where I've been the least amount of times isn't bad either.
It's time to get up and I should congratulate myself, it only took me two tries.
Now my path lies through this forest, hopefully since it's near the capital there won't be anything too horrible.
I can figure out the rest along the way.
And that's just to be stopped by the voice from behind.
"Leaving so soon? You don't even get to have a proper look at the city".
Slowly I turn around to find a young woman behind me in an elegant black dress, with black hair and bright blood-red eyes.
If I'm not mistaken she is the only daughter of the blood queen.
Aphelia Rosefield the crown princess of this kingdom.
And the very person I was sent to kill.
It's also the first time it's ever come to a conversation under such circumstances, so I'm not quite sure what the best thing to say is.
Luckily she didn't seem to be expecting my response.
"If you do decide to stay longer, my mother wanted to see you."
Awkward silence was better.
After saying that she turned around and started to walk away.
There is still a positive side in all of that, today can't get any worse.
And I'm still alive.
Watching her retreating back and cautiously looking around only to notice nothing but trees behind other trees, I started to follow her.
There was no need to go far, perhaps the more reasonable option was to go a little deeper into the forest, but it's too late to think about that now.
A black wooden carriage and a pair of even blacker horses with several lines of shark's teeth were waiting thirty seconds away, right next to the road.
Getting inside and sitting down opposite her, the carriage slowly began to move towards the city and the castle located on the island at its centre.
It's going to be a terrible few hours.
It was unfortunate to end up in one of the three biggest cities I've ever seen, with a population of no less than a dozen million people; you could walk all day and not even cross half of it.
Since it doesn't look like she's in the mood for any kind conversation, all I can do is watch the buildings glimmer through the window as I listen to the sound of hooves clattering on the grey pavement.
As dawn broke, all the street lanterns had already turned off and people started to hurry about their business.
Various buildings in shades of grey and red, four floors high, lined up in a row. Mainly only a few shops with an aether glyph or shard in the name try to stand out from the crowd with bright colors and patterns woven into unique ornaments.
My limited knowledge makes it impossible to know if they really do have an effect or if it's just a marketing ploy.
Aether a long time ago became a panacea for everything, except for what it causes by itself.
Returning to the city, the complete absence of temples and the rare presence of greenery is noticeable in the streets.
Trees with real green leaves, and not gold instead of them.
Empire and their passion for gold and the sun signs.
I'd have no problem with this city if it weren't for all those gargoyles on the roofs of the buildings, skilfully placed at regular intervals. And each of them, with their glowing red crystals instead of eyes, paying close attention to a passing carriage as soon as it enters their field of vision.
This was the pace of the whole trip until we crossed the bridge to the island where the castle is located.
When the carriage finally stopped in the center of the courtyard Aphelia opened the door and headed for the massive castle doors.
I thought it usually takes a lot of people to maintain places like this, but as I followed her, I didn't see anyone in the whole courtyard and on the walls.
Behind the doors was an imposing dark hall, lit only by an ornate chandelier above which emanating a dim red light that enveloped this place like a haze.
Shouldn't there be a sun outside the windows?
Under my foot, there was a black carpet with a pattern of red flowers spread all over this place and the stairs that lead up.
On the walls were paintings of former royalty, the usual noble stuff, although it's a bit odd that the painting I'm looking at has blood coming out of its eyes.
Correction, all the paintings have blood coming out of their eyes, flowing through the frame and straight onto the carpet, thus forming an ornament of bloody roses.
And all this in a completely empty castle.
Climbing up the stairs, I still don't think my situation is that bad, nobody sends their only daughter to the outskirts just to bring the person you're going to kill after.
At least I hope so.
One can't survive as long as I have without getting a few cards for the worst situations, what a shame they don't last long and I've already spent most of them, but as I trace the cold ribbed surface in my pocket, I think if things comes to worse I still have something with what I can bargain for my life.
There was a single door upstairs.
Without a single glance at me Aphelia moved forward and knocked on it, the door opened immediately.
Inside the room there were a pair of bookcases against the wall and a table on a circular carpet in the centre with two velvet couches on either side of it.
The window on the opposite side was the size of half a wall and let in the sunlight without a problem.
Aphelia walked across the room and stood behind the back of a woman sitting at an office desk.
Taliyah Rosefield, current queen with blood-red hair and eyes of the same color. She is probably the most kind hearted person I've ever seen if that is somehow connected.
And here I thought that after my first life I could come to something more philosophical at a moment like that.
That was the second the door slammed shut behind me.
I'd like to point out that if these are attempts to scare, they're pretty pointless. I've seen worse.
And I see it in front of me right now.
Just when I thought this silence would continue until my sad end, Taliyah finally spoke.
"Firstly, I would like to thank you for dealing with one of this country's problems. Ludwig Blackthorn was an amazing individual and protected this kingdom for many decades, unfortunately in recent years he became a great threat to our people due to his desperation. I am grateful for his removal.
I'll never know the answer to why they never can handle this on their own.
And for the worst, now follows but.
"And to avoid any misunderstandings, I want you to see it, mister Dante Shade."
Some names are really hard to get rid of even if you've never said them in your life, so many good aliases in a decade and I'm stuck with this one, not many people even knew about its connection to me, only three alive, though now I think it's five.
I held the ring up to my eyes, inside it was gold and an envelope, but from the look in her eyes it wasn't the contents that should have reassured me. On the ring itself, in addition to the glyphs, there was an engraving that was impossible to read.
I am not sure why she thought this would prove anything to me, but no, that part is quite understandable.
I was just unlucky enough to have three acquaintances capable of such a thing.
I put the ring in my pocket and simply nodded.
I guess that with the fact that I'm still alive is enough for now.
"Good, now we can discuss what happens next."
I knew it.
"Now that you have lost your employment, I have an offer for you. With all the assassination attempts on my daughter, it has become dangerous for her to stay in the capital, I suggest you escort her and help solve one of the problems in the border town...
Not interested, I'd be happy right now to just turn around and walk away, but I'm not sure I even have a choice. I could always agree and get out on the way, essentially.
…in exchange I can give you information about MENACE."
"I accept."
But people and their fancy acronyms for the worst kinds of things.
"In that case, carriage is waiting for you outside."
That's weird.
I expect a little more details and time for preparation.
I'm not one to argue.
Back in the carriage I realized the absence of time to make preparations.
It simply wasn't needed.
In place of the rather small space accommodating no more than eight people, there was now a small house with two floors, a living room, kitchen and two showers.
That's the power of money.
As I froze, Aphelia turned to me, smiled and said.
"There are three rooms here on the second floor for you to choose from."